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Russian warns Ankara about possible consequences of actions against Russian military

"Rear Admiral Ahmet Gunes promised to immediately inform Ankara about the Russian representation," the spokesman said

MOSCOW, December 13. /TASS/. Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov on Sunday summoned Turkey’s defense attache Ahmet Gunes to warn him of possible consequences of Turkey’s actions against the Russian military, a defense ministry spokesman said.

"A strict representation was made to the Turkish diplomat about possible serious consequences of official Ankara’s reckless actions against the Russian military contingent on an anti-terrorist mission in Syria," the spokesman said.

"In particular, the Russian side voiced serious concern over more provocative actions by the Turkish side against the Russian Smetlivy guard ship in the Aegean Sea, which was forced to open warning fire from firearms at a safe distance from the Turkish vessel to prevent possible collision," the spokesman said.

"Rear Admiral Ahmet Gunes promised to immediately inform Ankara about the Russian representation," the spokesman said.

According to earlier reports, the crew of The Smetlivy guard ship of the Russian Navy had to open fire from small arms to push away Turkey's seiner in the Aegean Sea so that to avoid a possible collision as the Turkish ship wound not respond to attempts to establish contact.

The Russian defence ministry said the Russian vessel was 22 kilometres from Greek’s Lemnos Island in the northern Aegean Sea. At 09:30 a.m. Moscow time, the watch service located a Turkish vessel at the distance of about 1,000 metres. The Turkish ship was approaching the anchored Smetlivy from the starboard side. Despite numerous attempts by the crew, the Turkish seiner would not have a radio contact with the Russian ship or would not respond to special visual signals or signal flares.

"As the Turkish seiner was approaching the Russian guard vessel to a distance of about 600 metres, in order to avoid a collision of the vessels, small arms were used along the route of the Turkish vessel at the distance of guaranteed non-hitting," the Russian defense ministry said. "Immediately after that, the Turkish vessel changed its route without communicating the Russian crew and continued moving past the Russian vessel at a distance of 540 metres.".